Luis Benites on the duel against Nacional: "Excuses have to be left aside"

This Tuesday, from 7pm, Sport Huancayo will debut in the first preliminary round of the 2023 Copa Libertadores against Nacional de Asunción. The reality of the 'Rojo Matador' is as follows: due to the current situation of Liga 1 - the tournament started last weekend and there were five walkovers due to differences between six clubs and the FPF regarding TV rights - they have not played any official matches so far; however, one advantage could be the 3,259 meters of altitude.

And in the midst of this scenario, Luis Benites - top scorer of Sport Huancayo last season (with 19 goals) - knows that in a contest like this, excuses must be left aside, as the result will only depend on themselves. He expressed this in an interview for RPP, where he talked about how the team is doing just a few hours before the decisive match.

"Nacional de Paraguay comes with more rhythm, but excuses have to be left aside. Although we haven't played official matches, we have prepared well and we will try to give our best," said the Rojo Matador's striker. However, he made it clear that, taking advantage of their home field, they must seek a favorable score.

In that sense, he stated that "we should take a good advantage to feel more relaxed. Although a 1-0 result is not bad, we will go for more." It should be noted that the rule that gave more weight to away goals has been annulled, so only the total number of goals will count.

Another point in the interview was his role as a starter in the team. Although Luis Benites has remained a key player, especially in the last season, the player admitted that "one prepares to be a starter always, but these are decisions that are beyond one's control and I respect them whether I start or not."

Complex panorama

Sport Huancayo has not been able to play any official matches, as last weekend Cusco FC decided not to attend the scheduled match at the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega stadium (the position of Cusco FC is against the FPF and its handling of TV rights): the Rojo Matador eventually won by walkover, with a score of 3-0 in their favor.

On the other hand, in a statement on their social media, they announced that "having the preservation of the attendees' safety as a priority, we inform you that our match for the 2023 Conmebol Libertadores to be played this Tuesday, from 7:00 p.m., at the Huancayo stadium, will be played without an audience."

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